the little that is big (2015 Hambrick Family Moments)

These are my absolute favorite family pictures of our year.

Nobody is in coordinated outfits. 

Make-up is not always on and hair is not fixed.

In most, no one is even looking at the camera.

It's life, real life, our life.

I'm convinced that a big life, experiencing a big God, who is writing a big story is really just a collection of small faithful moments.

May your 2016 be filled with little big moments.


Happy New Year!

one good year, 2015 (UTWWK Ministry Update)

This time last year, after a lot of waiting, praying, and trying our best to open some doors that just weren't meant to be opened...Jeremiah and I felt that gentle yet firm prodding that comes from the Holy Spirit to step out in faith (yet, again) and walk through the one already wide open door and join the ministry of Until the Whole World Knows.

This time last year?!

Are we really staring 2016 in the face?

What a year.

Seriously. I always get so incredibly sentimental at the end of a new year. I love to think back through and look at pictures and remember. It's a habit I find to be faith and life affirming, choosing to be intentional in remembering what the Lord has done.

The year started so overwhelming and unknown. A completely different job with completely too big of a vision given to two willing, yet incapable people.

And yet, despite all that, somehow and someway, the Lord choose to allow us to walk with and work for Him this year.

And, oh, how my faith has grown!

How humbled and excited that we get to do what we do...

Supporting the House of Hope ministry center in Haiti,
training and leading teams,
developing new partnerships around the globe (Costa Rica, Madagascar, Zambia, and Haiti, of course) as well as in our own city,
providing support and encouragement for missionaries,
strengthening current orphan and widow care ministries,
and partnering with local churches to help equip them to develop effective missions programs.

That's a whole lot of big words.

I think photographs paint a better picture.

But here's the thing, and here's what we are all about: The following pictures aren't just stock photographs. They are pictures of our friends, whose names we know, whose lives we are involved in. We say all the time that missions at its finest is long-term, intentional, and relational, and I love that even though I toss around some big words, what it all boils down to is relationship. Meeting needs and sharing Jesus looks a lot like building a widow's house, hosting baptisms, jumping rope, helping an overworked pastor, teaching a Bible study, or just cooking dinner together.

We truly have the best job in the world and I wouldn't switch places with anyone else on this earth.

If 2015 was a good year, I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for 2016!

Thank you for praying for us, supporting us, and loving us.

_______________________________________________________________________________

For those of you who have been watching from the sidelines, now is the perfect time to join our support team! I am excited to invite you to partner with us in the upcoming year.

Please pray and give if the Lord prompts your heart and consider becoming a monthly sponsor of UTWWK. Our monthly givers are the backbone of our ministry and provide the stability for us to do what we do with consistency.

The ministry is growing and the Lord has given all of us at UTWWK a big vision for this new year.
We are moving forward in faith and trusting the Lord will provide all that is needed to do what he has called us to do!

I cannot even explain the depth of the joy that comes from giving to the kingdom work we are a part of!

You can give in three simple and secure ways: 

1. Give by clicking on the "support us" button at the top of this page  now.
2. By mail. Please make checks payable to Until The Whole World Knows Inc.  Mail checks to:
Until The Whole World Knows, Inc.
731 Duval Station Road, Suite 107-281
Jacksonville, FL  32218
3. Or give anytime at utwwk.com 

Thursday Thoughts, on this Christmas Eve

Ahhh, Christmas Eve. Otherwise known as the night parents around the world get their closets back.

My kiddo's are just a little wound up.

Totally lying there. They are off the charts excited. This is the first year that Zoe really gets the excitement and she is positively bouncy today.

Which, is 98.5% fun. As long as I take short breaks in the bedroom to stop the high noise level induced twitching.

Our family has had quite the growth spurt over the last week. Let me explain:

First, my Dad traveled home from Ghana with my two newest siblings...

Welcome to our crazy family Sondra and Jr!

Secondly, after 3.5 very long years, our Via family was granted FULL ADOPTION of Chloe in Uganda! We are celebrating with them on this good good news! You can read more about their story here.

Third, she may not be necessarily brand "new" at 6 months old, but this was our first time meeting our niece, Elora, in Florida. And, oh-my-goodness, she is such a cutie pie!!! What a trooper too...spending 3 days at a theme park in Orlando is rough on a baby and she was just as happy as she could be. She seriously is this happy almost all the time...

Lastly, as if my ovaries needed any more quivering...my Via sister and brother-in-law welcomed baby Cohen into this world on Tuesday! I mean, seriously people...CUTENESS OVERLOAD is happening in my life this week.

Happy Happy Thursday everyone...

And Merry Christmas Eve!

for the travel weary

We got in late last night after a fun filled 6 days of traveling to Florida and back.

It was a wonderful, fun, crazy, and slightly overstimulating few days (can I get an amen from all the other introverts who have been to Universal Studios!!) with all the Hambrick clan. All of us were there, all 10 grandkids, grandparents, and both siblings and spouses. With our crazy international travels and school schedules and work schedules that fact alone was nothing short of a Christmas miracle!

We did a lot of driving (almost 30 hours worth)  and now I'm happy to be home doing nothing except getting ready for Christmas!

As we were driving home last night with tired kids, legs that were falling asleep no matter what position I put them in, a tummy that wasn't happy with all the travel foods, crazy traffic and accidents all around on interstate 95, and a four year old that kept the "how much longer" phrase on a 3 minute repeat...I closed my eyes to pray for an extra dose of the Lord's grace to sustain me home.

In those few seconds of travel weary induced prayer I thought of another momma who had gone before me, who must have been way more travel weary than me, riding a donkey at 10 months pregnant, with a future that was unknown and uncertain and much beyond her understanding. I wonder if she closed her eyes and prayed for the Lord's grace to sustain her...not knowing that His very grace was inside her womb.

Mary was plain, simple, extraordinarily ordinary...and just like me. The fact that God chooses people like Mary and me (and you) to know Him is such a beautiful and overwhelming demonstration of His love and grace that I never want to get over. His very name, given at his birth, Immanuel, means God with us. And it's true.

I don't know where you find yourself this Christmas...are you travel (life) weary, in your darkest moments, or in your highest happiness? Take comfort and peach, the only lasting comfort knowing that He is with you. Just like Mary on that donkey long ago, His very grace indwells us. He hears, He sees, He cares, He loves.

The Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy. 

Luke 1:49

Tuesday Thoughts: flood waters recede, Florida, and friends

The flood waters receded and we moved back into our home! Just a little bit worse for the wear, but oh, so happy to be home.

For a day.

We head to Florida tomorrow to spend a few days with Jeremiah's family and have our Hambrick Christmas. I almost thought I was in Florida with the weather here this past week. Positively balmy.

Even my flowers are confused by the weather and are trying to bloom again.

Monarch Way Academy is officially on Christmas break until the New Year, woohoo!

We also officially finished up our Christmas party circuit yesterday...the last one is in the books for the year.

Ella with some bff's from our church at the latest party.

Our HFHM kiddo's had some Christmas cheer and presents brought to them this week...new pj's and shoes and other fun goodies. Man, I miss them a lot this week. Counting down the days till we see them again in January!

How cute are Djulene and Djouna in their new pajamas?!!

Happy happy Tuesday!

i've got peace like a river

Perspective.
It's a funny thing.

When your husband calls you (who has all the kids with him) and you hear that "tone" in his voice and your heart drops.

Surely it's the worst.
In a nano-second I go there...where the worst would be.

Instead, I hear, "We had a pipe burst while we were out and have a major flood in the house."

Bam.

Perspective.

It's just a flood.
It's just an inconvenience.
It's just stuff.

Yeah, it's a major-pain-in-the-butt dealing with the clean-up and the current 15 industrial fans turning my home into a literal tornado, but I can't help but feel a sense of peace restored.

In a season where I am inundated with the constant pounding message that I NEED MORE STUFF, my stuff has been relegated to it's rightful place in my life again. And what is important and eternal rises back up to the top.

Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, 

and where thieves break in and steal. 

But store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, 

and thieves do not break in and steal; 

for where your treasure is there your heart will be also. 

Matthew 6:19-20

the Christmas writer's block

I've got a major case of writers block but think I'll blame it on the holidays.

We head out of town next week to spend a week with Jeremiah's family. Knowing I was "losing" an entire week of Christmas prep time has made me ahead of the holiday game...and I'm never ahead of any game this time of year. Presents bought and wrapped, cards ordered and addressed, holiday treats made, decorations hung...who have I become?!

Ministry wise we are in a small window of "breather" space. Sort of the calm before the storm that starts brewing in January. Jeremiah and I sat down and looked at the calendar for for 1st half of 2016 and, well...yeah, the calm before the storm. So crazy exciting, and I wouldn't trade it for anything!! But I am going to enjoy the calm that is right here and right now.

Apparently, so is Zoe...

I love how she still falls asleep in random spots.

tbt: gingerbread houses

 2012

 2015

• A few notes: 

• Apparently, Eli has a specific gingerbread decorating hat.
• Meme makes the best decorating helper.
• The extreme personality differences and artistic expressions of our four kiddo's has rendered the sharing of one house (gingerbread house, that is...although...) impossible anymore. 
• It's amazing how three years will affect an attention span. 

And finally, how cute is this 5 year old Eli?!! For reals.